Devil's Dance Floor
by Xaphrin
Summary: Raven tries to drown her problems at the bottom of a beer glass, but what happens when she's stopped by the one man she never expected to see? And what happens when he wins a bet? Raven and Red X, slight song-fic.
1. Devil's Dance Floor

**Devil's Dance Floor  
**_A Raven and Red X One-Shot_

"Well swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o  
Swing a little more, a little more next to me  
Swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o  
Swing a little more, on the Devil's Dance Floor!"

- _Devil's Dance Floor,_ Flogging Molly

)O(

Raven wasn't one to break the law. Granted, it was a law almost all of her peers had broken at one time in their lives, but that didn't give her any justification. She wasn't sure what possessed her to come out tonight. It was dark, rainy, and there wasn't a single person on the sidewalk besides her and the bouncer. Raven chewed on her lip as she fidgeted with a loose string on her jacket. She heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her and looked around, wondering if any of her teammates followed her. She would never live it down if they saw her here. It looked clear, but she could never tell. Beast Boy had been known to follow her around as some kind of insect.

"ID, miss?"

Raven jumped and looked up at the massive bulk of a man. Her heart slammed against her ribs, and she briefly wondered if she could coerce him into letting her slip by with a few bats of her eyelashes, like the girls did in the movies. Taking a second look at him, she decided that was probably not a good decision. If possible, he looked twice the size of Cyborg, and twice as mean. She reached in her pocket and pulled out her flawless fake ID. He stared at it for a total of three seconds before handing it back to her.

"Thank you, Miss Roth." The man opened the door to a set of rickety steps leading into a basement bar. The stench of alcohol and cigarettes wafted up to her, and sound of the guitar hit her like wall of sound. Her heart picked up speed, and it took all of her effort not to run down the stairs after its siren song. What a way to spend the last few days of her life.

Any doubts or regrets she might have had at the top of the stairs, had evaporated in the smoky heat of the bar. The lights were aged and yellow, and band posters from years past were peeling away from the walls they were coated in. Raven weaved through the crowd and walked to an empty booth, feeling her heart climb into her throat. Did any one recognize her? Furthermore, was anyone going to figure out she was underage? Pft. Did it _really_ matter at this point? She was going to be a portal for ultimate darkness, what were a few broken rules?

"What can I get you?"

Raven jerked and turned to look over at a pretty brunette with a koi sleeve running up her left arm. The band had taken a break, and muffled drunken chatter filled the bar. For the first time that night, she felt out of place and wondered exactly _what_ she had been thinking in coming here, especially alone. She fidgeted for a moment before looking at the waitress with a blank stare. "What do you recommend?"

"Dragon's Milk." The waitress pulled a pencil from her hair and wrote it down on a flip pad. Raven noticed the small bird tattoo on the inside of her right wrist, and briefly wondered if it was something important. The girl gave a wink and walked off. "Be right back, sweet pea."

Raven watched her go, her lips turning down into a frown. Raven fought the urge to slam her head against a wall. This was a dumb idea on her part. What did she hope to accomplish by this silly escapade? It wasn't like it made any difference. It was just a few more days before… before _what_ exactly? Before the end of the world? Before she had to say good bye to the world she loved? Her friends?

Raven shoved hair out of her face and fought back tears. This was a stupid idea.

"You look lonely."

Raven started and stared into a pair of dark brown eyes. She reeled back, nearly hitting her head on the wall behind her. When had he come by and how had she not noticed him creep up on her? She glared at him, frowning still. "I'm sorry, that seat is taken."

The man laughed, and it sounded like a cheerful dirge, dark and unusual. Raven felt a foreign shiver travel down her spine, but she kept her face blank. He caught her stare and the laugh slowly faded into a coy smirk. "By who?"

Raven had nothing to say to that, so she kept quiet.

"I don't believe I've introduced myself." He offered her his hand, and Raven stared at it, examining the scars on his palm. She briefly wondered where he got them, before glancing up into his eyes again, trying not to betray her emotions and thoughts. "I'm Nikolai." There was a pause as they stared at each other for a few more seconds. A smile passed across his lips again. "Now is usually when you take my hand and tell me your name."

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes, then slipped her had into his. "Rachel."

"Nice name."

"It's commonplace." Raven let go of his hand and glared. "Am I just lucky, or is there a reason you're sitting across from me?"

"Sure." Nikolai leaned back into the both and stretched his arms behind his head. Raven tried not to stare as his lean muscles rippled underneath his black t-shirt. She caught the outline of a tattoo on his right bicep, but couldn't make out the picture. "Curiosity. I saw you come in alone, which means you're either here to meet someone, who happens to be late, or you're here to find your answers at the bottom of a glass mug."

"How observant." She fidgeted with a paper napkin before glancing back up. This at least _felt _a little less pathetic, some company was better than no company. Maybe she should give him a chance. Or maybe she should just kick him in the shins and be done with this nonsense.

"So, what is it?"

Raven opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. She blushed and looked away. Kicking him in the shins sounded like the best option now. How did he manage to dig his nails into her skin already? She should just throw him into another dimension and leave him there, but then she'd have a mess to clean up.

"Did that bastard stand you up?"

Raven glanced at him before looking away again. "I'm here alone. And it was my choice, _thank you_."

"Ah." Pause. "Well, in that case." He whistled, and the pretty, tattooed brunette walked back with a smile and Raven's glass. She patted Nikolai's shoulder.

"Hey, Nikolai. Thought I heard you call. What can I get you?"

"I'll have what she's having, and a flight of top-shelf whisky for both."

"Honey, you do know it's Wednesday, right?" She popped one hip to the side and stared at him. Nikolai just grinned back up at her.

"Sure. It's hump-day, let's celebrate."

'Whatever you want, honey."

Raven opened her mouth to object, but the waitress had already walked away. She hissed irritated breath between her lips and glared. "Exactly _what_ are you doing?"

"Giving you the best Wednesday ever." He grinned and Raven felt her heart sputter to a stop. Exactly what was this strange boy doing to her? She'd barely just met him three minutes ago and already she was reacting to him. He wasn't even that good looking, at least that was what she kept telling herself. She blushed and looked away.

"I was doing fine by myself, thank you."

"Sure. Coming to a bar on Wednesday and drinking by yourself? Especially… is that _Dragon's Milk_?" Nikolai laughed and leaned forward, placing his hand on her arm. Raven snatched it away as if she'd been burned. "Be careful with that, Sunshine. That's one _potent_ beer."

Raven frowned as she felt and indignant bubble rise into her chest. What was he insinuating? That she didn't know what she was doing? It was one thing to admit her inadequacies to herself, but to have a stranger telling her that she was making a bad decision only made her want to do it more. She snorted, and tried to glare harder at him. "I can handle myself. Thanks."

"It's your life." He laughed, the waitress brought back his glass of beer and Nikolai swirled the black contents of the glass carefully. "So what should we toast to?"

"You shutting up?"

Nikolai laughed again. "I'll drink to that. Bottoms up, Sunshine!"

Raven growled and grabbed her glass, slamming half the beer in one drink. The thick, dark liquid spilled down her throat and gave a strange, burning sensation. It felt surprisingly good, and the beer left a bittersweet vanilla flavor on her tongue. "That's good."

"That's… a lot of alcohol you just drank." Nikolai chuckled politely behind his hand.

"I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?" Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Nope." Nikolai sipped his beer, and Raven noticed he still had most of it left. She briefly wondered if she had made a good decision in slamming hers. A smirk appeared on Nikolai's lips as he watched emotions fly across her face. "You do know this is fourteen percent alcohol, right?"

Raven's face fell. Shit. Well, it was too late now. She shrugged and looked up at him. "I do now. Bottoms up, Nikolai." Nikolai laughed and raised his glass as she grabbed the rest of her beer and downed it. Raven felt a small smile spread across her lips as she looked at him, he was holding up his empty glass and grinning like a fool.

"Don't think you can out-drink me just yet, Sunshine." Nikolai jerked his head toward the waitress, who was walking up to them, with six shot glasses filled to the brim with amber liquid. She placed them on the table-top in two neat rows. Raven wanted to ask exactly what she was supposed to do, but she kept quiet. The last thing she needed was to give Nikolai the idea that he might have won.

"It's your hangover, Nikolai, but I wish you wouldn't drag this poor girl into it. That's not fair to her." She laughed at them, and Raven felt a blush cover her cheeks.

"I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt it." She smiled at her, but Raven could see the doubt in her eyes. "Have fun you two, and be safe." She patted Nikolai's shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything else, honey."

Nikolai grabbed the first shot. "One right after the other, Sunshine. Don't stop."

Raven felt the cold spot of doubt sink into her stomach. What was she getting herself into? And with a stranger of all people. If the team saw her now… guilt mixed with the doubt and Raven was trying to tell herself this wasn't happening, and that she should just walk away. But, she couldn't bear the thought of loosing to someone like this cocky bastard in front of her. She chewed on her lip as her fingers wrapped around the smooth glass. "Alright, Nikolai. Let's do this."

"Now you're talking, Sunshine." He laughed and tipped back his glass as Raven did. She barely had time to enjoy the licorice and anise flavor before the burn hit her throat. Doing as Nikolai told her, she grabbed the second shot and downed that, before taking the last one. Now her entire insides burned as if she had swallowed fire, and she tried not to glare at her companion. What had he done to her? "Nice job, Sunshine."

"Stop calling me that." Raven glared, feeling her lips start to turn numb. Sobriety was starting to leave her, and that delightful buzz of inhibition was going to hit her soon. Raven wasn't sure if she was prepared. She cleared her throat, and sat up straighter. At least she could pretend she was sober for a few more minutes, and save some face. "It's annoying."

Nikolai laughed and threw back his head. Raven watched the smooth lines of his throat and she briefly wondered what his skin smelled like, and how it would taste. She felt color flood her face and turned away. What in hell was she thinking? And towards a complete stranger? Maybe that beer was working a lot faster than she thought. "What would you like me to call you?"

Raven thought for a moment, trying to keep all the correct synapses in her brain firing the right way. She was starting to have a little more difficulty than five minutes ago, or had it been more? Raven turned back to him, chewing on her lip as she thought. "Just call me Rae."

"Rae? Alright." Pause. "Is that your nickname?" He smiled and leaned forward. There was the faint scent of licorice and whisky wafting off him. Raven found she enjoyed it and leaned a little closer to him. She needed to remind herself of "stranger danger" but couldn't seem to remember the rules. "You know, I bet you get this all the time, but you look _just_ like Raven from the Titans."

Raven's thoughts skidded to a halt at those words. Did he know? Had he guessed who she really was? Or was he just teasing her now? Ugh. This was a bad mistake. She threw up her barriers and pulled away from him quickly. Nikolai jerked with the sudden movement, and she felt his eyes on her as she frowned and turned away from their conversation. "No. I've never heard that."

"Hey, Rae. I didn't mean anything bad by it." He chuckled and reached out to grab her hand. Instead of yanking it away, Raven turned and stared at her smooth, pale hand against his dark, scarred skin. He put a finger under her chin and tilted his face to his. "It was a compliment. I like Raven. She's my favorite."

It was Raven's turn to laugh, and she watched an indignant look cross her companion's features. Well, at least he was honest. Insane, but honest. "I'm sorry, Nikolai. I just… I guess I'm just wondering why _Raven_. I mean why not Starfire or Bumble Bee? Raven is so dark and dreary."

"Don't know." Nikolai shrugged, and let his eyes roam hers for a moment. "Maybe it's because she's attractive and different. She isn't dark and dreary, just misunderstood."

Raven fought back a snort, she'd heard that one before. "Aren't they all _different_?"

"Yeah, but she's…" Nikolai stopped and shook his head. His eyes darkened for a moment and he leaned in towards her, dropping his voice to a rough, husky whisper. "I'm not playing this game, Rae. You're trying to get me to say something stupid."

Raven laughed again. "Too late for that, Nikolai."

He leaned back and smiled at her. "You know, I like it when you say my name. It sounds… right."

"Remember what you just said about being stupid?" Raven raised an eyebrow at him before she motioned for the waitress to bring them another flight. If she was going to spend more time with this man, she was going to need more whisky. "Just keep that in mind when you talk to me."

Nikolai laughed. "I'll remember that." There was a pause and the couple turned to watch the band crawl back on stage. The din grew louder as people flocked to the empty floor in front of the stage, everyone started shouting out requests. The band finally announced they were doing a cover of a popular song, and Nikolai nudged her shoulder with a grin. "Wanna dance?"

Raven snorted. "I'm sorry? I couldn't hear you over your bullshit."

"I'm serious. This is my favorite song."

Their waitress came back with their second flight and Raven grabbed her first shot glass. "Tell you what, I'll dance if you drink."

Nikolai laughed. "Twist my arm, won't you?" He grabbed his shot glass and held it up. "Bottoms up, Rae."

"Yes, sir." They tipped back their glasses and finished the flight just as the song was starting. Without giving Raven time to savor the sweet flavor of the whisky, Nikolai grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the dance floor. The guitar was strong, but there was plenty of movement, and Raven couldn't help but enjoy the music.

_Her breath began to speak  
As she stood right in front of me  
The colour of her eyes  
Were the colour of insanity  
Crushed beneath her wave  
Like a ship, I could not reach her shore  
We're all just dancers on the Devil's Dance Floor_

Nikolai twirled her around the floor, grinning like an idiot. But Raven didn't have a whole lot of room to speak either. She could barely keep her feet on the ground. Maybe coming out here wasn't such a bad idea, because now she _really _couldn't think of a better way to spend the last days of her life.

_Pressed against her face  
I could feel her insecurity  
Her mother'd been a drunk  
And her father was obscurity  
But nothin' ever came  
From a life that was a simple one  
So pull yourself together girl  
And have a little fun_

Raven felt his hands slide comfortably around her body, and she barely managed to think that he should probably move his hands. But it felt good, and she couldn't remember why he needed to be farther than a few inches away from her. She moved a little closer, so that their bodies barely touched, and their scents mingled. Raven breathed deep, savoring the perfume of liquor, sweat, and cigarette smoke.

_Well she took me by the hand  
I could see she was a fiery one  
Her legs ran all the way  
Up to heaven and past Avalon  
Tell me somethin' girl, what it is you have in store  
She said come with me now  
On the Devil's Dance Floor_

Raven leaned up onto her tip-toes and pressed her lips against his throat, finally sating her curiosity. She was right. He tasted like licorice and whisky. Her tongue darted out at tasted him briefly, and she felt his shiver run through his limbs. He pulled her close and tilted her face up toward him. Nikolai searched her eyes for a moment, before he leaned down, moving to kiss her dark, red lips, But before he got a chance to taste her exotic fruit, Raven laughed and pulled away to hide in the crowd.

_The apple now is sweet  
Oh much sweeter than it ought to be  
Another little bite  
I don't think there is much hope for me  
The sweat beneath her brow  
Travels all the way  
An' headin' south  
This bleedin' heart's cryin'  
Cause there's no way out_

Nikolai chased after her, smiling. He grabbed her arm and they moved around the dance floor, laughing along with the song. He held her close and let the music move the world for them. Raven tried not to sigh in contentment. What was so bad about this moment? So what if he was a stranger, some one like this _really_ couldn't be bad. Could they?

_Well swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o  
Swing a little more, a little more next to me  
Swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o  
Swing a little more, on the Devil's Dance Floor_

Raven enjoyed the feel of his laughter against her chest, and she stared up at him, a smirk playing against his lips. She wanted to lean up and kiss it off him, but maybe that was the liquor talking at that point. Who knew? Nikolai shoved hair out of his face and started weaving through the crowd to the exit. "I didn't know dancing could be so fun. I usually hate it."

"Neither did I." Pause. "Hey! _You're_ the one that asked me to dance."

"True, but I've never had such a good partner before."

"Nice try." She took a step away from him, struggling to hold herself upright. She teetered for a moment, before falling against his chest. Nikolai laughed, and wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her steady. She struggled for a second, but gave up after realizing he had a lot more strength than she did. She blinked down at his watch, struggling to read the hands on its face. "Oh my god! It's two in the morning? My roommates are gonna be so worried!"

"Don't worry, everything will be just fine. C'mon, Rachel. I'll walk you home." He kept his arm wrapped tight around her waist, and walked them both to the exit. Raven could feel his own wobbly legs and she shoved at his chest, but he didn't budge and just looked down at her. "What is it?"

"It's too far." They stepped onto the street, walking right into the last dregs of the storm passing through. Raven tried to push him off her, so she could grab a few breaths of fresh air, but he still wouldn't let her go. Just like a man, possessive to the bone. "It's like two miles. That's way too far for you, I'll just go my own way."

"You walked two miles in heels?"

Raven laughed and cocked one hip to the side. "No, silly. I flew."

"You _flew_?" Nikolai snorted. "Like a plane?"

"No. Like _Raven_. Duh." Raven held onto his hand as she started down the street in the direction of the giant T-shaped building rising out of the bay. She glanced back at him, smiling. "I thought you figured it out already? I mean you said I looked _just like her_."

"Wait." Nikolai held up his hand and Raven stopped walking, watching him carefully. "Are you telling me that _you're_ Raven? And you live in Titan Tower?"

"Yes. No. Wait… is this a trick question? Oh shoot. I shouldn't have told you that." Raven pressed a hand to her forehead, and stifled a drunken giggle. "Oh well. I guess you know the truth now. It's too late to take it back."

Nikolai laughed and pulled them onto a park bench. She toppled into his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He even felt good, covered in the light drizzle outside. Why did everything feel better in the rain? It was like anything bad was washed of it's impurities and all that was left was truth. Nikolai poked a finger into her sternum. "If _you're_ Raven, then I'm Red X."

"Ch. Yeah right. Can you imagine how ironic this whole meeting would be? The good and the bad, deciding to dance at a bar?" Raven rolled her eyes and leaned away from him so she could stare into his eyes. "Besides, Red X is a pig-headed dolt with too much time on his hands. Although you might be a pig-headed dolt, you're not obnoxious enough to be Red X. Nice try though." Raven clapped lightly. "I commend you for your efforts. Bravo."

"I am!" Nikolai looked indignant and he frowned, as Raven's incredulous stare stayed on him. Who did he think he was fooling? Certainly not her. "You really don't believe me, do you?"

"No."

"So, how can I prove it?"

Raven thought for a moment, chewing on her lip. What could he do? What could he mess up just enough so she knew it was him… She slowly grinned and leaned close to him, placing her palm over his heart. "I'll tell you a little-known secret. Robin keeps all his left socks in one drawer and all his right socks in another. Call him anal retentive, he says some bullshit about them wearing out the same way, but I don't buy it. I just think he's crazy. Anyway, if you really are Red X, then when I wake up tomorrow morning, all of his left socks will be missing."

Nikolai laughed and looked up at her mischief written all over his face. "That is a good one. Although I do have to admit that you sure are asking a lot for me to break into Titan Tower. It's not exactly a cake walk."

"Well, you've done it before haven't you?" Raven leaned close to his ear and nipped. He moaned slightly and pulled away. She grinned down at him. "It should be simple, right?"

"With Cyborg's security system? Are you crazy? It has harder than Fort Knox." There was a sly grin that slid across his lips and he looked up into her eyes. "You know I bet I _could _do it. But, maybe I need motivation… a prize if I win your bet."

"And what would you want?" Raven said, laughing.

"I'm not sure… what are you willing to give?"

She leaned down so that her lips were just centimeters away from his. "How about a kiss?"

"I like the idea…" Nikolai tried to kiss her, but Raven pulled away quickly. She slid off his lap and took a few steps away, teasing him with a sultry strut. He licked his lips and stood up, a light bulb going off in his head. "If stealing socks wins me a kiss, what would I win if I ran Robin's shorts up the flagpole?"

Raven laughed and she took another step away from him. "If you can do that. I'll let you cop a feel."

Nikolai's eyes wandered over her body. Heat pooled in her stomach at the sight and Raven shifted her weight in anticipation. "Well then, you better wear something sexy, _Rae,_ because tomorrow morning I'm going to claim my kiss and my feel."

"I'll be waiting, _Sunshine_." Without another word, Raven took to the skies and flew in the direction of the tower, laughing to herself. What a fun game to play. To bad Nikolai was just teasing her.

)O(

"What in the _HELL_?"

Raven jerked awake, feeling her head throb under the pressure of last night. She rubbed her temples and fumbled for the door. What was the Boy Blunder doing screaming this early in the morning? It was barely nine o'clock. She stumbled down the hallway and into their living room, not even bothering to hide her glare from her leader. "Ugh. Could you _please _keep it down, Robin? Some of us were out late last night."

"Raven, do you know what happened to all my left socks?"

She jerked her eyes opened and stared at him. Her heart sunk into her stomach at what he was saying. Had she really… _no_. It couldn't have been! Raven had been positive that Nikolai was just a boy, nothing more. "Your _left_ socks? Are they missing?"

"Yes. My entire drawer is empty! And I'm missing a pair of… _underwear_." He blushed and growled at the same time. "I can't find them anywhere."

"Did you check the flagpole?" Beast Boy snickered as he walked into the room. "'Cause I was just on the roof, and I'm pretty sure that your underwear is flapping in the wind."

Robin turned a darker shade of red and was about to say a few _choice _words to Beast Boy. Raven didn't stay any longer, she phased through the building onto the roof. Hoping that maybe this was a bad dream, and she was going to wake up soon. It was not a dream. Sure enough, Robin's "Batman" boxers were waving cheerfully in the wind, as if they had always been there. "Oh no. Red X?"

A familiar chuckle sounded behind her and she turned around to see a black mask with a caricature of a skull on it. Red X bowed deeply. "Morning, Sunshine. How's that hangover treating you?"

Raven took a step back, feeling her heart pound against her ribs. "I could be better."

"Oh, that's too bad." He cocked his head to the side, following her movements as she fidgeted under his heavy gaze. "I know something that could help… at least, I would, if I got to claim my prize?"

Raven felt color flood her face and she took another step back. "Are you serious? Here? Now?"

"I can't think of a better time or place. Can you?" Red X laughed and the sound brought memories and conversations flooding back into her mind. Had Raven really been so brazen to offer _that_ to a complete stranger? What was she thinking? And how had that stranger turned out to be _Red X_? Oh, Goddess. She was an idiot. "But, we can go somewhere a little more private, if you want. Say… your room?"

"I… er…" Raven just stared at him, unable to think of a reason _not_ to invite him into her room. She grabbed a few reasonable strands of thoughts and shoved a hand through her hair. This was not good at all. If Robin found out he was here, or worse, if Robin found out what she had been doing last night. Raven groaned. "Are you _serious_?"

"You already asked me that, Rae." She could hear the frustration and exasperation in his voice, and there was a small splinter of guilt that stabbed her. Although she didn't know why, he didn't deserve it. "And, yes, I am… provided you were serious last night."

Raven barely remembered last night at all, let alone if she was serious. "Look… I… um… _fine_." She glared at him. "We can go to my room, but you have to find you own way down and if you get caught, no kiss. No feel. Nothing." Red X moved as if he were going to say something, but Raven had already started to phase through the floor and into her room. She sighed as she looked at the mess. It was surprisingly unkempt for her, and she threw her clothes into the closet before running into her bathroom to brush her teeth. The last thing she needed was "hangover breath".

"Raven?"

Raven jumped and poked her had out of her bathroom. Red X was sitting on the edge of her bed, peeling the mask off casually. As if he had done this a million times before. His dark brown eyes glittered at her, and every word of their conversation came back to her like a slap in the face. Why had she been so _stupid_? Raven groaned and took a cautious step into her bedroom. "I can't believe you're making me do this."

Nikolai pushed some hair out of his face, and watched her move through the almost darkness. He snorted in response. "I'm not making you do anything more than you promised last night." He peeled off his gloves and tossed them onto the floor. "Your prize was too tempting to just ignore the challenge."

"Tempting? It was a joke! I didn't even think you were… I had no idea… I…" Raven growled low in her throat as she tried to say something reasonable, but her words were trapped in her throat. She made her way over to him, stepping silently on the carpet. There was a moment of awkward silence as she stood in front of him, watching as he stretched himself comfortably on her bed. "What happens if I tell you no? Will you tell Robin?"

"Ha! Speak to the bird-brain. Pass. Although, I might mention a thing or two to Beast Boy next time we battle though." His grin glittered in the dim light of her room, and Raven growled.

"You're a cad. Taking advantage of a drunken offer."

"You're a wanton mistress offering it to me." Nikolai's hands snapped out and reached for her waist, to pull her down into his lap. Raven tumbled on the bed with him, feeling color flood her cheeks. Red X could sense her caution and he sighed in response. "Look, if this makes you uncomfortable I can always claim my prize later."

Raven blushed. "You are dead set on having me kiss you, aren't you?"

"You forgot the part where I get to cop a feel." Red X rolled over so that he pinned her to the bed. Surprisingly, Raven felt _comfortable_, as if this were normal between them. As if he'd always been part of her life, at least more than a wanted criminal and a drinking partner. She sighed and stared up at him.

"Let's get this over with then, because you'll never let me forget it if I don't."

"What a way to be enthusiastic, Rae." She saw him roll his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, Nikolai." She chewed on her lip for a moment. "It's just… _hard_ for me to do." Not to mention morally wrong, but that was just small potatoes compared to what she had been playing with last night.

"You press your lips against mine. That's it."

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that. I've never… er…" Raven blushed again and looked away from him. "I've never kissed before."

There was a long silence between them and Nikolai tilted her chin up to meet his gaze, and Raven felt her heart sputter to a stop. This was dangerous. More dangerous than last night. "Well, I'm glad I get to be your first." And he bent down and kissed her. Raven wasn't sure when she had left earth, nor was she sure when she was returning, but she _was_ sure that no one had ever kissed a girl the way he kissed her. It was pure passion, hot, smoky, and thick. Like last night.

Her breath got caught in her chest, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Taking the hint, he nudged her lips open with his tongue before sweeping inside to taste her. Raven moaned softly into his mouth and tangled a leg around his. Nikolai's hand slid along the curves on her body before moving to rest on her breast. He smiled against her lips.

"You wore something sexy, didn't you."

"It was all I had." Raven pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Satisfied?"

"Never." He nipped at her lower lip. "I wonder what I'll have to do to get the rest of you, Raven?"

"Just wait until next Wednesday."

)O(

_Once again, I'm not sure how edited this is. I got sick of looking at it after a while. Let me know what you think! Thanks again!_


	2. The Story So Far

**The Story So Far  
**A _Devil's Dance Floor _Sequel

Here's the story so far  
It's already here  
We've made it this far  
Sure we battled the spears  
But life cuts to pieces  
To the wounds from the secrets  
Makes it all who you are  
- _The Story So Far,_ Flogging Molly

)O(

Nikolai sat in the exact same spot for the next seven Wednesdays. He always ordered two beers and drank only one. He played the same song on the jukebox at the same time. And in spite of _numerous _advances from beautiful women, he left alone precisely at two in the morning. He would wander the streets for an hour, and if he was lucky, he would bask in the rain before heading back to his penthouse. When he returned home, he turned on his television to the news channel, looking for an excuse to her absence for the whole night.

In seven weeks, he never found _one_.

He began to doubt the last, cryptic words she said to him. He had waited _seven _Wednesdays to see her again, to talk to her again, to _dance _with her again, and yet every one of those nights ended with him lying awake and alone in his bed, thinking of _her._ Like some disgusting, love-sick puppy. He hated what he was becoming, and yet there was no way to stop the metamorphosis. Seven weeks ago he tasted something intriguing, had spoken intelligent, witty conversation with a woman, and now all he could do was think about her. There wasn't another woman in the world that held more interest to him.

And he _hated_ that. It was a sign that things changed, that _he _changed, and Nikolai hated change.

Without any warning, Wednesday number eight appeared in the middle of his week. Nikolai left the comfort of his penthouse, walked to the bar several blocks away, down the rickety stairs to the smell of smoke and beer, waved to one of the waitresses, and fell into his normal spot. The booth he sat in with Raven, the one tucked in the back, sheltered by awkward placement of support beams. His eyes scanned the typical Wednesday crowd, looking for an anomaly.

Nothing.

He sighed and leaned back into the booth. This was stupid. Maybe he just needed to accept that for one night, they both made stupid decisions. They said things they shouldn't have. Kissed and touched when they knew it was wrong. If he believed those things, maybe that painful ache in his chest would just go away.

Ugh. He was such a fucking _sap_.

"Nikolai."

He looked up into the smiling face of Candice and gave a half-hearted wave. They'd been friends for awhile, or whatever you call that awkward relationship you build with people in the service industry, and out of everyone who worked here, he liked her the most. There was something pragmatic and practical about her, something down-to-earth. "Candy. It's nice to see you again."

He watched as a menagerie of emotions passed across her face. Nikolai sighed. _Nine _Wednesdays ago he would have flashed his trademark smile and she would have fallen into his bed. But now… it just didn't seem worth it.

"As if there was any doubt you would show tonight. You come every Wednesday like clockwork." She placed the two beers in front of him, and then slid into the empty seat across from Nikolai. Something in his body ticked at the sight of her in Raven's spot, but he just concentrated on Candice's smile and tried to let the violation pass. "I have some very sad news, the Dragon's Milk keg is out."

Nikolai felt something dark sink into his stomach as he stared at the two dark beers in front of him. There was a change to his routine… was it a sign? Maybe he should give up on the change that had already started. Give up on Raven. She was just a girl, and girls flowed like water around him. He looked up at Candice, and flashed her a shadow of his trademark smile, enjoying the pale blush on her cheeks. "So, then what's this?"

Candice chuckled. "Sin Eater."

Nikolai laughed. "How appropriate."

"I thought so…" She fidgeted with the glass in front of her for a moment, and Nikolai thought she might drink it. That thought made him painfully sick to his stomach. It wasn't for her. She stopped fidgeting and looked up at him. "Hey, Nik? Can I… talk to you about something?"

He cringed and looked up at her. Her eyes were too damn blue, and she looked like she could see into his soul. "About what?"

"Well, we've been friends for a while… or whatever this weird relationship is called… and… I don't like seeing you pine over a girl. She's just a girl, and there will be others." She cocked her head to the side and watched him move restlessly. "You should move on, get a hobby or something. And stop turning all the other women away, half the reason we have this kind of crowd on Wednesday is because you're here. It'll be bad for business if they think you're taken."

Her joke did nothing to ease the pain she caused. He didn't want to think of Raven as "just a girl" but maybe he needed to. Maybe their one encounter was all he ever got out of her, or maybe with a little patience there would be a thousand more encounters. And _that_ was something worth waiting for.

Nikolai glanced down at his beer before looking up into her face. "Candy… have you ever wanted something _so bad _in your life that you'd do anything to get it? And you get so close to having that one thing you want only to watch it slip away?" She shifted awkwardly in her seat, as it he touched a wound inside her. "I know what I'm doing seems stupid and pointless. It's… it's like Tantalus, with that branch just out of reach, and all I can do is stare at the fruit and hope it falls down."

Candice raised an eyebrow. "You're in love aren't you?"

"I'm in a sick state of infatuation and I hate it." He sighed and leaned back into the booth, staring at the faded, old band posters behind her head. "She promised me she would come back to me. So, I'll wait for a while longer."

"Just don't wait forever, Nik." Candice stood and walked away, leaving Nikolai stew in his own emotions for a while longer.

It was nearing midnight, and sleep seemed to be creeping in and out of his vision. The last two heists he went on had been particularly exhausting, and his flights downgraded him to coach where he had no room to sleep and sat next to noisy, crying children. Bastards. But he would wait until close for her, but maybe tonight would be the last night he waited. Maybe Candice was right and he needed to get a life. Or a piece of ass.

The thought of that made him remember the sight of Raven, her hair all mussed as he lay on top of her, kissing the breath right from her lungs. The feel of her heartbeat as he slid his hands over her breast. The way her hands felt as they tangled into his hair. God! He was such an idiot, letting himself get attached to _her_. To _Raven_, a freaking _Titan_! And here he was daydreaming about her like a school boy daydreamed about the girls in _Playboy_.

Nikolai cursed under his breath and stood up to walk to the jukebox. He stood there, flipping through the tracks on the screen, looking for that one album. He'd almost memorized how many movements it took to get to the song. Standing here, he felt hungry eyes of women on his back, but they weren't interesting. He couldn't talk to them, tease them, play games… they were empty headed females with nothing more than a desire to get into his pants. That was no way to build a relationship, although it was a nice try.

For a moment Nikolai thought he smelled the soft, musky floral scent of lavender, and the sensation jarred him from his monotonous thoughts. Nikolai's hand slipped. Wait. That wasn't the song he wanted. Damnit, it was too late now. Sighing, he walked back to the booth. Maybe Candice was right, and maybe pining after something he couldn't have was stupid. Change was bad, _that _Nikolai knew.

He ducked into the dark corner and stopped in his tracks. Across the table from his usual spot sat a petite, pale woman with an unreadable expression. Nikolai felt his heart jump into his throat as they stared at each other.

He had to be hallucinating. This had to be sleep deprivation. He had to _say something_.

"You're late."

_That's it_? Two months of waiting for this moment and the only thing he could say to her was "you're late"? Like it was some dumb scene out of a romance movie? Nikolai shook his head and stared at her as he sat in the seat opposite of her. This whole thing felt like a dream, like she wasn't _really _there, looking at him with those sad eyes. He groaned and pushed the second beer closer to her. "Well, at least you came."

Color flooded her face. "I'm sorry."

Nikolai enjoyed the sight of color on her cheeks and he stared at her for a long time. After all the time he spent waiting for her, the sight looked a hundred times more beautiful. "You should be sorry. I've spent two months waiting for you to come. You _promised_ me you would be here the following Wednesday, and you weren't. And here I am, pining after you like a dog waiting for his master. Do you _know _what that does to my reputation?"

Raven's sympathetic look quickly disappeared and she pushed the beer aside to lean over the table. Dark fire flashed in her eyes, and Nikolai knew that he had crossed the line. It took a real idiot to anger Raven, and he did just that. Her lips turned up in a snarl and she inched closer to him. "You act as though you're the only one who was hurt by our encounter. As if I had no stake in what happened between us. Do you _think_ that I haven't been troubled as well? Do you think that I haven't had to live with the guilt and remorse of fraternizing with the enemy?"

"I never feel guilty. It's a waste of emotions." Nikolai cringed as soon as the words left his lips. Well, _that _was a stupid remark.

"You're a conceited jerk, you know that, right?" She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into the booth. Shadows covered most of her face, hiding her expression from Nikolai. "I could have gotten into _serious _trouble letting you do what you did to me. And you could have gotten seriously hurt if the others found you. This whole… whatever _this_ is between us… isn't just about _you_."

"I know." He sighed and looked away from her for a second, trying to collect his thoughts. He'd spent so much time imagining this moment, that the actual reality of what had happened between them never really caught up to him. They had both been playing with fire two months ago, and it was a miracle that neither of them got burned. "I'm sorry… It's just _hard_ to understand what happened. We… did something to each other, and now we're both all fucked up in the emotional department."

"I know." Raven looked up into his eyes and gave a weak smile. "You _really_ fucked me up. I've spent nights dreaming about you, do you _know_ what that does to _my_ reputation?"

Nikolai smiled. "Well, it's good to know that we understand each other's situations." There was a sudden burst of noise, and music poured out of the speakers. Slow and sad, almost like a dirge you could dance to. Nikolai stood and offered his hand to Raven. "Come on, Rae. On your feet."

_You always had what you wanted  
So leave it behind  
And if the glass isn't broken  
Then the futures not blind  
All that you know means nothing to you  
But it's the loss of control shatters the truth_

Raven's hand slipped into his and he pulled her to her feet. He could feel the confusion and hesitation in her touch, and he squeezed her hand in some act of comfort. Her eyes darted around the crowded bar, looking at the people watching them. "What are we doing?"

"We're dancing." He pulled her onto the nearly empty dance floor, arms pulling her close. Lavender filled his senses and something in him calmed. He looked down at her, watching as she stared up at him. "Is that a problem? I think you owe me at least one dance for what you put me through."

Raven rolled her eyes, but she didn't back away from him, and that was a promising sign. "There you go again, talking as if I had no part in what happened. I had a good excuse for not coming." She frowned, and her eyes suddenly had a dark, far-away look that Nikolai had never seen in her before. As if she was remembering something that should have been forgotten a long time ago.

The sight of her like that did something painful to his heart, and he pulled her closer. "Which was?"

_Here's the story so far  
It's already here  
We've made it this far  
Sure we battled the spears  
But life cuts to pieces  
To the wounds from the secrets  
Makes it all who you are_

"I…" Her voice broke and trembled, and she looked away from him. He felt her skin turn cold and clammy, and he pulled her even closer to his body, trying to shelter her. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she saw far more terrors that one person ever should. Raven mumbled her response against his chest. "I was saving you from the end of the world."

"That seems a bit extreme… but given your employment I think I can understand." His hands pulled her hips closer to him, so that their steps had to be careful and measured to avoid tripping. He was forcing her to stay next to him and forcing her to dance with him. He wouldn't let her go again, not after he nearly lost his sanity waiting for her the first time.

"Wait…" Something didn't seem quite right with her story. The end of the world? Surely humans would have heard _something_ about their imminent destruction. On the news? In books? In papers? A blog on the internet? _Something_, but he hadn't even heard a peep in the two months she'd been gone. Nikolai was calling bullshit. "If the world was going to end, why haven't I heard anything on the news?"

"Because the world already ended, and you died." He felt Raven's eyes on him, watching his reactions carefully. Nikolai hated it when she looked at him like that, like he didn't know or understand what was going on. Raven tried to put space between them, but he held her close, refusing to let go. She was going to tell him the truth if he had to squeeze it out of her.

Raven cursed at him, before continuing. "A demon lord by the name of Trigon took over the planet, murdered everyone, and had intentions of doing the same to other planets in the universe. Our world stopped turning and we had to right it, so that everyone would be none-the-wiser."

His gaze turned into a glare. "You've got a lot of nerve making up that bullshit."

She returned his glare, snarling up at him. "I'm telling the truth."

"Whatever."

_Love craves self destruction  
It's a blizzard in hand  
Lay your cards ion the table  
But you're not in command  
So burn with the fire  
You so eagerly lit  
Watch the flames flicker higher  
Said I don't care about you_

Raven finally pushed space between them, and Nikolai felt bereft at the lack of contact. God, he _hated _what she did to him. Hated that she could take his heart out in a single swipe and feed it to wolves. If this really was love, he didn't want any part of it. Not if it hurt this much.

"I didn't have to come back, you know." Raven stopped dancing and stared up at him, frowning. "I could have stayed away. I could have forgotten everything that happened between us, and left you here to stew in your own misery."

"Then why did you come back?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her, feeling the electricity of anger and sexual frustration arc between them. "Clearly you don't need me. You're not the one who has been here every Wednesday waiting for you to keep your promise. Which leads me to ask the question if you even know how to keep a promise?"

That touched a chord with Raven and she took another step back, putting even more space between them. "I don't know. I don't know why I promised you I would come back when I knew it was wrong, when we _both _knew it was wrong. And I don't know why you chose to believe me when you knew the same thing."

"Then you should have told me the truth, Raven." Nikolai glared. "You shouldn't have led me on, forcing me to believe something that would never happen. If you didn't want this between us, that's fine, but you should have let me know."

"Nikolai…" Something about his name of her lips made his stomach drop to the floor, it sounded like music. He stared down at her, carefully trying to decipher her emotions. She looked confused and distraught, and Nikolai could relate. "I missed your company. I missed the conversations and the teasing, and… _Goddess_, I missed the way you touched me. That's why I came back."

_Oh it's bitter the pill  
That you swallow to feel  
I don't care what I lost  
I just thank god I'm alive_

Nikolai breathed a sigh of relief, as if he was finally letting out all the tension he'd accumulated for two months of emotional torture. She missed him too, and that made all this pain worth it. He pressed his lips to her ears, nipping at her lobes. "I've been waiting for two months for you to say that to me."

"I know…" Raven cringed. "I never meant for this to happen. Really."

"Me either, and I don't want you to get into trouble…" He kissed along the line of her neck, tasting the lavender on her skin. It tasted like ambrosia. "Why do you do this to me?" Nikolai pressed his face against her hair, breathing in her scent. "Do you _know _how many women make passes at me, and I turn them down for _you_. What in the hell for?"

She smirked up at him. "Because you like me."

"Sometimes I wonder."

"And I like you." Her smirk disappeared and her eyes suddenly seemed much to dark, like they were holding a million secrets and he wanted to know every single one of them. His heart turned over in his chest and he forgot how to breathe. "Even though I _shouldn't_, and I'm bound to get into _serious _trouble with my teammates. But… you're different. A shade of gray I've never seen before."

Nikolai leaned down so that his lips almost touched hers. "You mean a shade of red?"

Raven looked into his eyes. "Are you going to kiss me or keep teasing me?"

"Are you going to keep your promises?"

"I'm going to try…"

That might not have been the answer he wanted, but it was good enough for right now. Without another word, he kissed her full and hard on the lips, urging her mouth open so he could taste her. God, he craved her taste. It was like plums and vanilla, and the warm musky scent of lavender. His tongue slid along contours of her mouth, before pulling away to nibble on her lower lip. She gave a low, breathy moan, and all bets were off.

Nikolai pulled her off the dance floor and returned to their hidden corner in the back of the bar, placing kisses along her neck and ear. He pushed her into the darkest, most sheltered corner of the booth, ravishing her body. His hand slid over her breasts, feeling delicate embroidered lace under his touch. He smirked.

"You worse something sexy, didn't you?"

"It was all I had." Raven chuckled, low and sultry, and Nikolai felt his stomach clench hotly at the sound. It was as if this was their first encounter all over again, and he was going to break down if she did anything else to tease him.

He kissed her again, hand sliding from her hip to her thigh. His fingers disappeared under her skirt, and he watched as Raven looked scandalized. She tugged at his wrist, trying to keep space between them. Nikolai just laughed and pulled away, giving her just enough room to breathe. "You never did answer my question… what do I have to do to get the rest of you, Raven? Name your price."

She thought for a moment before responding. "Don't give up on me."

Nikolai pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I can't, unfortunately."

"Good… now… a little bird told me you don't live too far from here…" Raven pressed her nose close to his, her own hand rubbing his thigh. "I wonder what I'd have to do to get inside _your _room?"

"Ask nicely."

She smiled. "_Please_."

)O(

_So, after reading __**Taboo**__ by The Flamekeeper, I was inspired to write this. Her story really reminded me why I love Red X and Raven stories so much.  
It's really meant to be a small continuation of the previous story with a little more emphasis of Nikolai's view of the relationship. Please let me know what you think, I love to hear your thoughts. _


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